Righteousness

"Although using people is not very charming, I think you have to agree that this specific illustration has surpassed all expectations. 

It says so much about being human. It's been painful, but I think you also have to agree it has been edifying. 

Wouldn't you say? "

" 'A Certain Point of View'...?!

You DICK, Ben..! I mean, how could you..? 

You and the Elf, both... "

“God has a way of standing before the nations with judgment, and it seems that I can hear God saying to America, 

‘ You’re too arrogant! 

And if you don’t change your ways, I will rise up and break the backbone of your power, and I’ll place it in the hands of a nation that doesn’t even know my name. 

Be still, and know that 


I am God!' ” 

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tom :

No, no more plans. I promise. 
They asked me to chose between you and them. 

That's not difficult on a day like today. I love you. 

You may be stronger, it's true, but the ideals, the ideals we share... I've chosen, Grace. I have chosen you. 
Now it is the time! The time we've been waiting for. 
We free ourselves of Dogville.

Grace :

It'd be so easy to make love right now. 
They may kill us any minute... 
It would be the perfect romantic ending... 
It would be so beautiful. 

But from the point of view of our love, so completely wrong... 

We were to meet in freedom.

Tom :

You're cold now, Grace. I've just rejected everybody I've ever known in your favor. 

Wouldn't it be worth compromising, just one of your ideals just a little to ease my pain? 
Everybody in this town has had your body, but me... 

We're the ones supposed to be in love.

Tom.

My darling Tom. You can have me if you want me. Just do what the others do. Threaten me. Tell me that you'll turn me in to the law, to the gangsters and I promise you, you can take whatever it is you want from me. I trust you, but maybe you don't trust [Self|yourself]]? Perhaps you've been tempted, you've been tempted to join the others and force me. Perhaps that's why you're so upset.

Grace.

Let tomorrow bring what it's gonna bring.

 It's not a crime to doubt yourself, Tom, but it's wonderful that you don't.

“God has a way of standing before the nations with judgment, and it seems that I can hear God saying to America, 

‘You’re too arrogant! 

And if you don’t change your ways, I will rise up and break the backbone of your power, and I’ll place it in the hands of a nation that doesn’t even know my name. 

Be still, and know that I am God!' ” 

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

“The early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the Church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.” 

–Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Wherever the early Christians entered a town the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them for being ‘disturbers of the peace’ and ‘outside agitators.’ But they went on with the conviction that they were a ‘colony of heaven’ and had to obey God rather than man. They were small in number but big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be ‘astronomically intimidated.’ They brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contest. Things are different now. The contemporary Church is so often a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is so often the archsupporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the Church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the Church’s silent and often vocal sanction of things as they are.” 

–Martin Luther King, Jr.

"You do not pass judgrment, because you sympathize with them. 

A deprived childhood, and a homicide really isn't necessarily a homicide, right? 

The only thing you can blame, is circumstances. 

Rapists and murderers may be the victims, according to you.

 But I, I call them dogs, and if they're lapping up their own vomit the only way to stop them is with the lash... 

Dogs can be taught many useful things, but not, not if we forgive them every time they 'obey their own nature.' "

"I have to tell you, your illustration beat the hell out of mine. It's frightening, yes, but so clear. 

Do you think that I can allow myself to use it as an inspiration in my writing...?" 

Grace : 

Goodbye, Tom.

**SMITE**

"This morning, you can be on his right hand and his left hand if you serve. (Amen) It's the only way in.

Every now and then I guess we all think realistically (Yes, sir) about that day when we will be victimized with what is life's final common denominator—that something that we call death. We all think about it. And every now and then I think about my own death and I think about my own funeral. And I don't think of it in a morbid sense. And every now and then I ask myself, "What is it that I would want said?" And I leave the word to you this morning.

If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. 

And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. 

(Yes) 

And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. 

Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize—that isn’t important. 

Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards—that’s not important. 

Tell them not to mention where I went to school. 

(Yes)

I'd like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. 

(Yes)

I'd like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. 

(Amen)

I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. 

(Yes)

And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. 

(Yes)

I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. 

(Lord)

I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity. 

(Yes)

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. 

(Amen) 

Say that I was a drum major for peace. 

(Yes) 

I was a drum major for righteousness.

And all of the other shallow things will not matter. (Yes) 
I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. 

But I just want to leave a committed life behind. (Amen) 

And that's all I want to say."

Martin Luther King, JR, The Drum Major Instinct

"Modern psychology has a word that is probably used more than any other word in modern psychology. It is the word “maladjusted.” This word is the ringing cry to modern child psychology. Certainly, we all want to avoid the maladjusted life. In order to have real adjustment within our personalities, we all want the well‐adjusted life in order to avoid neurosis, schizophrenic personalities.

But I say to you, my friends, as I move to my conclusion, there are certain things in our nation and in the world which I am proud to be maladjusted and which I hope all men of good‐will will be maladjusted until the good societies realize. 

I say very honestly that I never intend to become adjusted to segregation and discrimination. 
I never intend to become adjusted to religious bigotry. 

I never intend to adjust myself to economic conditions that will take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few. 

I never intend to adjust myself to the madness of militarism, to self‐defeating effects of physical violence…

In other words, I’m about convinced now that there is need for a new organization in our world. The International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment‐‐men and women who will be as maladjusted as the prophet Amos. Who in the midst of the injustices of his day could cry out in words that echo across the centuries, 

“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Martin Luther King, JR on Creative Maladjustment